Trolley-pole-supporting mechanism



3 Sheets1-Sheet -1.

(N0 Model.)

J. M. ANDERSEIL TROLLEY POLE SUPPORTING MECHANISM.

No. 431,684. Patentd July 8,1890.

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(No Model.) 7 i 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. M. ANDERSEN. TROLLBY POLE SUPPORTING MECHANISM.

No. 431,684. Patented July 8, 1890 Inn/071101 v ana ram,

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. M. ANDERSEN.

TROLLEY POLE SUPPORTING MECHANISM. No. 431,684. 4 Patented July 8, 1890.

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UNITED s STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHAN M. ANDERSEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

TROLLE Y-POLE-SUPPORTING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,684, dated July 8, 1890.

Application filed April 11, 1890. Serial No. 347,449. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHAN- M. ANDERSEN, a subject of the King of Sweden and Norway, but at present residing at Boston, county of Suifolk, State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Trolley-Pole-Supporting Mechanism, of which the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a novel support or holding mechanism for the trolley-pole employed in the overhead system of electric railways, and has for its object to provide a simple, compact, efficient, and durable trolleypole-supporting mechanism.

In accordance with my invention a frame or casting adapted to be secured to the roof of the car supports a carriage provided with a rackbar, with which meshes a gear adapted to be operated by movement of the trolley-pole, the said carriage being operatively connected, preferably, to springs located near the bottom of the frame or casting andaoting in the opposite direction to the movement of the carriage, so as to keep the trolley-wheel on the trolleypole in contact with the trolley-Wire. The trolley-pole support or holding mechanism is preferably constructed, as will be described, to permit of side oscillation or movement of the trolley-pole, for a purpose as will be de scribed.

My invention in a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism therefore consists in the combination, with a supporting-base, of a movable carriage supported thereby, provided with a rack-bar, a gear operated by movement of the trolley-pole in mesh with said rack-bar, and means to act on said carriage in opposition to the movement of the same produced by the movement of the trolley-pole, substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a trolleypole supporting mechanism or holder embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the supporting mechanism shown in Fig. 1 on line m as; Fig. 3, a section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 on line y y, and Fig. 4 a detail to be referred to.

The supporting-base, preferably a plate A, provided with the upright sides A, may be made of iron, steel, or other material of suitable strength to support the working parts and withstand strain.

The base-plate A is provided with two 1ongitudinal ribs or uprights a, preferably located on opposite sides of the transverse center of the said base-plate, the said ribs having extended from them ledges or shoulders a, forming guides which support a movable or sliding carriage a The movable carriage a is provided on its upper side, substantially near its transverse center, with a rack-bar a preferably integral with the carriage and extended the length of the same. The carriage a is provided at its opposite ends, as herein shown, with lugs or projections a a on its upper side and with an intermediate lug or ear a on its under side, the said lugs or projections forming jaws, into which enter or extend cross-bars or yokes a a The crossbars or yokes a a are provided at their opposite ends, as herein shown, with hubs o a preferably screw-threaded on their inner side, to be engaged by threaded bolts or rods a C1113, provided with collars 0. fast on said bolts. The threaded bolts or rods a (r at the opposite ends of the carriage are inserted through caps, herein shown as a hub or boss a provided with slotted arms of, extended radially from said hub, there being four such arms herein shown. (See Fig. 2.)

The caps referred to inline with each other at the opposite ends of the base-plate are connected together by an elastic body, preferably by spiral springs 19, one for each radial arm a, the said caps being secured to the said springs 12, one for each radial arm (0 the said caps being secured to the said spring, as herein shown, by a screw or threaded rod I), inserted into the spiral spring and provided with a cross-arm b adapted to fit into a socket 9 or groove in the outer face of the slotted arm a. The hub or boss of the cap is maintained in contact with or pressed against the collar o by the spring or springs b. p

The cross-bars a a are moved by means of the carriage a and are limited in their movement in one direction, as will be described, by jaws formed on the opposite ends of the ribs or uprights a, the said jaws being'formed by a projection or lug 19 The jaws on the ribs or uprights a are preferably longer or of greater depth than the jaws on the carriage a as indicated by the dotted lines 2 3, Figs. 1 and 3, and the .cross-bars a' a are shaped so as to form side guides for the carriage to prevent lateral movement of the said carriage, the said cross-bars being normally in contact with the jaws h The carriage a is moved on its guides a, as herein shown, by a segmental gear 0, secured to or forming part of a frame 0', extended, as herein shown, substantially the width of the base-plate, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) the said frame being preferably mounted to rock on a shaft or rod 0 secured to the side uprights A, as shown, by pins 0 extended through holes in the said shaft or rod and into a socket in the uprights A. The shaft or rod 0 also has mounted on it at its opposite ends two castings or frames 0 0 each of which is provided with sides or arms 0, (see Fig. 1,) having studs or projections 0 extended into slots c (see Fig. 3,) in depending sides or arms 0 c of a sleeve 0 mounted upon a rod or shaft e supported in the casting or frame 0, substantially near its longitudinal center, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,the said sleeve having secured to or forming part of it a socket or shell c, preferably slitted or divided for a portion of itslength into two parts, as at 4. (See Fig. 1.) The socket or shell 0 receives within it one end of the trolley-pole 0 preferably a cylindrical steel tube, which may be secured in its socket or shell by a bolt 0 and nut 0 the split shell when tightened up by the said bolt and nut serving to more firmly clamp the trolley-pole and secure it to the supporting mechanism or holder. The rod 0 is preferably encircled between the castings c c by a spiral spring cl, having its ends abutting against sliding collars or washers d d preferably having on their outer faces cup-shaped sockets, into which extends a projection on the inner faces of castings or plates d (1 mounted on the rod 0 and having their lower points or ends engaged by the castings c 0 and their upper ends engaged by adj usting-screws 61 01 by turning which the castings d (1 may be moved on the rod 0 to adjust the tension of the spring d.

The springs b are relieved from tension when the parts of the supporting mechanism occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, the crossbars a a at such time being in contact with both ends of the carriage a When the trolley-pole is moved in either the direction of arrow 20 or of arrow 21 (see Fig. 3) by the usual cord attached thereto to place the trolley-wheel on the trolley-pole in contact with the trolley-wire, the carriage a is moved in the direction opposite to that in whichv the trolley-pole is moved. For instance, if the trolleypole is moved in the direction of arrow 20, the carriage (1. by means of the segmental gear 0 and rack-bar a is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 21. As the carriage is moved in the direction of arrow 21, the jaws on one end of the carriage move the cross-bar a and the springs 17, connected therewith, in the direction of arrow 21. As the carriage a is moved in the direction of arrow 21, the springs b are elongated or put under tension and act in opposition to the movement of the trolley-pole, whereby the trolley-wheel is kept firmly in engagement with the trolloy-wire, thereby securing good electrical contact between said wheel and wire. When the trolley-pole is moved in the opposite direction,as indicated by arrow 21, the movable carriage a is forced in the direction of arrow 20 and the springs I) elongated. The castings c c are free to slide on the rod or shaft 0 to permit the trol: ley-pole to be moved or tilted to either side of the longitudinal center of the car to accommodate irregularities in the track or trolley-wire. The castings c c are moved on the rod 0 by the turning of the sleeve 0 on the rod 0 I may prefer to employ this construction alone for obtainingthe side movement of the trolley-pole but I do not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as the side movement may be obtained by making the baseplate A to pivot or swing 011 a center-as, for instance, the said base-plate may be provided with a stud or pin f on its under side, fitted into a socket in a casting or plate f, secured to the roof of the car, the said base-plate being secured to the casting, as herein shown, by a threaded bolt f If desired, both constructions may be used.

By locating the springs bbelow the pivotal or rocking casting c and on opposite sides of the movable carriage a more compact and symmetrical structure is obtained and the springs exert a more direct and effective action.

I have herein shown the castings c c as connected to a segmental gear to be moved therewith; but it is evident that the said castings and the spring d may be used on other forms of trolley-pole support to permit of side oscillationor movement of the trolley-pole.

I claim- 1. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination,with a supporting-base, of. a movable carriage supported thereby provided with a rack-bar, a gear operated by movement of the trolley-pole in mesh with said rack-bar, and means to act on said carriage in opposition to the movement of the same produced by the movement of the trolley -p0le, substantially as described.

2. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination,with a supporting-base, of a movable carriage supported thereby provided with a rack-bar, a gear operated by movement of the trolley-pole in mesh with said rack-bar,

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springs to act on said carriage in opposition to the movement of the same produced by the movement of the trolley-pole, and means to permit of side movement of the trolley-pole, substantially as described.

3. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination, with a supporting-base, of a movable carriage supported thereby provided with a rack-bar,a pivoted or rocking casting provided with a gear in mesh with said rackbar, cross-bars at the opposite ends of the said carriage, and springs connected to the said cross-bars, substantially as-described.

4. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination, with a base provided with uprights at, having shoulders or'ledges, of a movable carriage resting on said shoulders and provided at its ends with jaws, cross-bars a a to engage said jaws, springs secured to said cross-bars, a rack-bar on said carriage, and a gear operated by movement of the trolley-pole to move said carriage, substantially as described.

5. In a trolley-supporting mechanism, the combination, with the rod or shaft 0 of castings c c to slide thereon, a pivoted casting to which the trolley-pole is connected having arms to which the castings are joined, and means to restore said castings to their normal position, substantially as described.

6. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination, with the rod or shaft 0 of castings c c to slide thereon, a pivoted casting to which the trolley-pole is connected having arms to which the castings are joined, a 4

spring on said rod between said castings, plates 01 d on said rod between said spring and the castings c 0 and means to adjust said plates on the said rod, substantially as described.

7. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination, with a pivotal supportingbase, of a movable carriage supported thereby provided with a rack-bar, a gear operated by movement of the trolley-pole in mesh with said rack-bar, and means to act on said carname to this specification in the riage in opposition to the movement of the same produced by the movement of the trolley-pole, substantially as described.

8. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination, with a base provided with uprights at, having shoulders or ledges, of a movable carriage resting on said shoulders and provided at its ends with jaws, cross-bars a a to engage said jaws, springs secured to said cross-bars, a rack-bar on said carriage, a rod 0 a casting or frame 0 mounted on said rod, a segmental gear on said casting in mesh with the said rack-bar, and a casting connected to the casting a and to which the trolley-pole is secured, substantially as described.

9. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination, with a base provided with uprights at, having shoulders or ledges, of a movable carriage resting on said shoulders and provided at its ends with jaws, cross-bars a a to engage said jaws, springs secured to said cross-bars, a rack-bar on said carriage,

a rod 0 a casting or frame 0 mounted on said rod, a segmental gear on said casting in mesh with the said rack-bar, a casting or sleeve 0 pivotally connected to the castings c, and having legs 0 0 a rod 0 casting c 0 mounted thereon and connected to the said legs, and a spring on said rod between the castings c 0 substantially as described.

10. In a trolley-pole-supporting mechanism, the combination, with a supporting-base, of a sliding carriage, a pivoted trolley-pole carrier connected to the sliding carriage to move the same, and means to act on the carriage in opposition to the movement of the said carriage produced by the movement of the trolley-pole, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHAN M. ANDERSEN. 

